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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28014138">A Tale of Two Brothers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperSoniRoni/pseuds/PepperSoniRoni'>PepperSoniRoni</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, But it gets better!, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Hate to Love, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Poetry, Prose Poem, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne Fight, poem</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:07:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,255</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28014138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperSoniRoni/pseuds/PepperSoniRoni</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A poem about Tim and Damian's relationship. From scornful enemies to Brothers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cassandra Cain &amp; Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown &amp; Tim Drake, Tim Drake &amp; Damian Wayne, Tim Drake &amp; Dick Grayson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Tale of Two Brothers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was for Lit Class (you have no idea how much I love writing fan fiction for school) so I don't mention any of the boys by their names. And yes: I understand that i didn't do well on Dick's. Sorry.</p><p>I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In a land of peace, an age away</p><p>A king lived with his children</p><p>He had saved</p><p>And cared for</p><p> </p><p>The first son was called the Hen </p><p>By the staff</p><p>He was the caring, motherly brother</p><p>Protective to a fault</p><p> </p><p>The oldest daughter was called the Dancer</p><p>She would wander the halls twirling to music</p><p>Only she could hear</p><p>Speaking with her body, not her lips</p><p> </p><p>The second son was called the Knight</p><p>For he and a band his group of other warriors</p><p>Left the castle as a group of Outlaws</p><p>Intent of spreading justice</p><p> </p><p>The second daughter was called the Witch</p><p>Her concoctions trailed smoke throughout the castle</p><p>Explosions and glitter clouds</p><p>Always came of her experiments</p><p>And her cackles could be heard from some unseen spot</p><p>As she witnessed the chaos </p><p>That was the aftermath</p><p> </p><p>The next, was an intelligent boy</p><p>And called the Advisor</p><p>For he always had knowledge</p><p>So wise that even the King listened to him</p><p>Allowing the boy to take part in council sessions</p><p> </p><p>All the children were close</p><p>And despite no blood bonding them</p><p>They were siblings all the same</p><p> </p><p>The youngest was a harsh boy of ten</p><p>Who lived for a time with his mother</p><p>In a cold, ruthless kingdom</p><p>Where he was shown no love</p><p>And so showed none to others</p><p>Because of this</p><p>He was called the Demon</p><p> </p><p>When he first came, the Advisor </p><p>Offered his love first to the boy</p><p>Who had an angry, defensive glare </p><p>On his small face</p><p> </p><p>He extended his hand in offering</p><p>A smile, open and accepting, on his brow</p><p> </p><p>But years in such a unforgiving home and made him hard</p><p>Unknowing of generosity</p><p>Suspicious of charity</p><p>Foreign to family</p><p> </p><p>The boy scoffed, and turned away</p><p>Spurning the approval</p><p>That was granted so freely</p><p> </p><p>The others tried after the Advisor backed away</p><p>But they were no different </p><p>In their result</p><p> </p><p>A while passed before the boy spoke to them again</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor wished to try again</p><p>He was met with harsh words</p><p>“I wish not to associate with the likes of you,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor threw himself into his work</p><p>Unwilling to acknowledge</p><p>The wounds</p><p>Those words left</p><p> </p><p>He saw less</p><p>And less</p><p>And less</p><p>Of his siblings, after that</p><p> </p><p>The Hen and the Witch had continued their work</p><p>On the new arrival</p><p>The Knight had left with his Outlaws</p><p>On some quest</p><p>And the Dancer joined no side, perching</p><p>On a high place, watching all</p><p> </p><p>The new boy was a terror </p><p>And word spread throughout </p><p>The staff</p><p>Cruel and harsh</p><p>He was never satisfied</p><p>So they called him The Demon</p><p> </p><p>It was after a fortnight</p><p>That the Advisor finally was subjected</p><p>To the Demon’s wrath</p><p> </p><p>He had been successful in negotiating</p><p>With foreigners over trade</p><p>All were quite impressed</p><p>And praised him highly</p><p> </p><p>The king, being away, only sent a letter</p><p>But it was enough for the Advisor</p><p>Even without his siblings</p><p> </p><p>The Demon wrapped the Hen and the Witch into his fold</p><p>They gave him all their attention</p><p>But that was not enough for the child</p><p>He lashed out to anyone who came near</p><p>His favorite target was the Advisor for whom he showed hate unlimited</p><p> </p><p>Words flashed down the halls</p><p>Permeating anything and everything</p><p>“You don’t deserve it,”</p><p>“You’re an act of charity,”</p><p>“No one wants you,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor hid behind what he could</p><p>Work</p><p>Books</p><p>Walks</p><p>Anything to get away</p><p> </p><p>No one stopped the harm</p><p>No one helped him</p><p>Not even himself</p><p> </p><p>“He is a child!”</p><p>The Advisor said to himself</p><p>When he saw the thorns spread over his bed</p><p>“I cannot hurt him!”</p><p> </p><p>For the first time all those months of the Demon’s stay</p><p>The Advisor felt rage kindle in him and rise out</p><p>Before</p><p>They were nothing but taunts of an insecure boy</p><p>But now</p><p>The Demon meant harm</p><p> </p><p>He ran to his Hen brother</p><p>Demanding accountability</p><p> </p><p>But the Hen only sighed</p><p>“Let him be,”</p><p>He answered</p><p>“He is but a boy in need of love”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The Advisor scoffed and tried the Witch</p><p>His twin in all but blood</p><p> </p><p>She sighed as well,</p><p>“He is cruel outside,”</p><p>She acknowledged</p><p>“But give him a chance</p><p>Perhaps he will surprise you”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor could not believe them</p><p>Disregarding him</p><p>For some cruel brat </p><p>Who knew no limits</p><p> </p><p>He left for the library in a quest for peace</p><p>As books always granted him release</p><p> </p><p>He greets the Librarian</p><p>A woman who was seated by her desk</p><p>And always looked out for him</p><p> </p><p>He mentioned the Demon while asking for books</p><p>And her eyes lit up</p><p>And she launched into a tale</p><p>Of his coming in a while before</p><p> </p><p>“He was searching for books of animals,”</p><p>She explained</p><p>“He was hard for a long while,”</p><p>“Then I found an illustrated copy for him,”</p><p>“And he softened while leafing through the pages,”</p><p>She smiled as she spoke </p><p>“He said his mother never allowed him,”</p><p>“To read for enjoyment,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor left after that, conflicted</p><p>He knew of the kingdom the Demon came from</p><p>But to not read for himself</p><p>Was a new horror </p><p>Among those he had heard</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor threw those thoughts from his mind</p><p>Stubbornly ignoring anything the child might have gone through</p><p>Strong in his detestation</p><p> </p><p>He was on his way back to his room</p><p>When he saw them</p><p>The Eldest</p><p>The Witch</p><p>The Demon</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor scowled, his brow hardening</p><p>Yet tried to walk by</p><p>Ignoring his family</p><p>Like they ignored him</p><p> </p><p>But then the young man heard something</p><p>A comment under the breath of the Demon</p><p>And he’d had enough.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you happy?”</p><p>He demanded as he whirled around to meet the trio</p><p>“You have torn us apart,</p><p>“Some taking sides,”</p><p>“Others completely gone,”</p><p> </p><p>The Eldest’s eyes were wide</p><p>The Witch frowned</p><p>But the demon looked neither shocked nor satisfied</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor glared as he strung together words</p><p>All intent to hurt the perpetrator </p><p>To make him stop</p><p> </p><p>The Demon took it all till he heard the Advisor</p><p>Talk about his mother</p><p>The Demon burst out</p><p>Returning the onslaught with his own</p><p> </p><p>They exchanged insults and taunts</p><p>Slander and mockery</p><p>Libel and scorn</p><p> </p><p>The Hen and Witch tried to end the fight</p><p>But were both unsuccessful</p><p>The Advisor wasn’t prepared to stop</p><p>But was suddenly torn away</p><p>Dragged down the hall</p><p>And into a side room</p><p> </p><p>He whirled around to see the perpetrator</p><p>Spitting with foul emotion</p><p>When he saw his sister </p><p>The Dancer</p><p> </p><p>He questioned her, asking why she had pulled him away</p><p>Why she had stopped him</p><p>She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow</p><p>Eyes filled with sorrow</p><p> </p><p>“You will hurt each other,”</p><p>She explained</p><p>She tilted her head and squinted her eyes</p><p>Waiting for the Advisor to respond</p><p> </p><p>He scoffed and pushed her away</p><p>Demanding whether she’d seen what the Demon had done</p><p>How she could care about him</p><p> </p><p>“You are too angry,”</p><p>She stated</p><p>The Advisor scowled, believing that his was a righteous anger</p><p> </p><p>She shook her head</p><p>“You don’t understand,”</p><p>“He is hurting, just like you,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor scoffed </p><p>Unwilling to hear her words</p><p> </p><p>The Dancer sighed and approached slowly</p><p>Wrapping her arms around him in a tight comforting embrace</p><p>“You are hurt by him,”</p><p>The soft words swirled around his mind</p><p>“He is hurt by others who didn’t love him,”</p><p>“He pushes away before they can push him,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor sighed</p><p>He listened and acknowledged her words</p><p>Yet did not fully believe</p><p> </p><p>“Look,”</p><p>She said as she exited</p><p>“And you will see,”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor avoided the Demon after that</p><p>Not trusting himself</p><p>Not trusting the boy</p><p>Not trusting anything</p><p> </p><p>He was out strolling in the gardens three days later when he saw it</p><p>The Demon lying in the grass with animals</p><p>He had his head nestled into a dog’s fur</p><p>His fingers petting a cat</p><p>His face filled with content</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor backed away slowly</p><p>Not wishing to invade the peace</p><p>And sanctity</p><p>Of the moment</p><p> </p><p>But the Demon heard his departure</p><p>And snapped up with his eyes wide as plums</p><p>And head darting around like a panicked deer</p><p> </p><p>His eyes settled on the Advisor</p><p>And they both froze</p><p> </p><p>The Demon scrambled to his feet</p><p>Shooing the animals away</p><p>Before facing the Advisor</p><p> </p><p>He opened his mouth for a moment</p><p>Then paused</p><p>He exuded vulnerability for a short moment</p><p>Then it snapped back into him like a rubber band</p><p>The Demon was once again a block of stone</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor sighed but did not utter a word</p><p>Turning</p><p>To walk away</p><p> </p><p>Away from the boy</p><p>And the hurt that he brought</p><p>Away from the scene</p><p>And the questions it brought</p><p>Away from the anger</p><p>And the hurt he could bring</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor couldn’t sleep that night</p><p>Wondering while such a simple sight as that of a boy playing with animals</p><p>Could fill him with such unease</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps it was how normal the Demon looked</p><p>How peaceful</p><p>How like an actual boy</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps it was because of the panic the Demon had shown</p><p>When he spotted the Advisor</p><p> </p><p>Why had he been so afraid</p><p>The young man wondered</p><p> </p><p>It was past midnight when a disturbance</p><p>Came from the door</p><p>Before it creaked slowly open</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor sat up</p><p>Fear shooting through his veins</p><p>At what was slowly creeping towards him</p><p> </p><p>Then a match was struck a mere yard away from him</p><p>Lighting up the dark room</p><p>Golden light radiating</p><p>Out</p><p>And out</p><p>Swirling </p><p>And crawling</p><p>Through the thick blanket of shadow</p><p>And revealed a face</p><p> </p><p>The face of the Demon</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor snapped back</p><p>“What do you want”</p><p>He cried out in anger</p><p> </p><p>The Demon Frowned</p><p>And beckoned him come</p><p>The Advisor considered</p><p>His options</p><p>And decided that he could handle whatever</p><p>The child had planned</p><p> </p><p>The pair departed from the castle </p><p>Quietly</p><p>And swiftly</p><p> </p><p>The Demon paused when they reached a hill </p><p>In the grounds</p><p>Before the gates</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor looked around but saw nothing of importance</p><p>Then he saw what the other boy was setting up</p><p> </p><p>The Demon had two swords in his hand</p><p>He gave one to the Advisor</p><p>And kept the other for himself</p><p> </p><p>“Fight me,”</p><p>He announced,</p><p>“To the death”</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor couldn’t laugh</p><p>The look on the Demon’s face was far too grim</p><p>Far too set in the decision</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor frowned</p><p>And asked why the Demon would go to such lengths</p><p>The other boy replied </p><p>“It must be done,”</p><p>“You have witnessed my weakness,”</p><p> </p><p>It was in that moment that the Advisor understood</p><p>The Demon’s eyes were desperate</p><p>Scared</p><p> </p><p>Frantic</p><p>Reckless</p><p>The Advisor remembered his sister's words from before</p><p>And he now knew them to be true</p><p> </p><p>The boy was attempting to push him away</p><p>Before he was harmed</p><p>He thought he had succeeded with the Knight who had departed</p><p>The Dancer who stayed away</p><p>The Hen and Witch stayed close</p><p>However</p><p>And he was suspicious</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor smiled softly and shook his head</p><p>“I will not fight,”</p><p>He whispered softly</p><p>Though his words spread like a wildfire</p><p>Consuming the silence of the night</p><p> </p><p>The Demon’s eyes blew wide</p><p>He opened his mouth in protest</p><p>“You are worse than the Hen or Witch,”</p><p>The boy growled,</p><p>Stomping forward</p><p>“You announce peace,”</p><p>“Yet have no intention of delivering”</p><p> </p><p>He swung his sword up then</p><p>And the Advisor barely parried</p><p>He countered the words next</p><p>Proclaiming that the Demon knew not of what he spoke of</p><p> </p><p>They danced around the grass</p><p>The Demon on offense</p><p>The Advisor on defense</p><p>The fight never progressing</p><p>Past stable</p><p> </p><p>“You are in a new home,”</p><p>The Advisor calmly stated</p><p>“There is no need for violence,”</p><p> </p><p>“You know nothing,”</p><p>The Demon responded</p><p>And pressed forward</p><p> </p><p>“No,”</p><p>He replied</p><p>“You know nothing,”</p><p>“Nothing of trust”</p><p> </p><p>The Demon cried out in frustration</p><p>His actions screamed</p><p>Of Pain</p><p>Of Hurt</p><p>Of years of emotional torment</p><p>Of not understanding</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor frowned, for once feeling pity</p><p>He looked into the face</p><p>Of who just a little while ago</p><p>He considered his enemy</p><p> </p><p>He decided to take a chance</p><p>Dropping his sword</p><p>And speaking honestly</p><p> </p><p>“I forgive you,”</p><p>The Advisor said</p><p>“For what what you did,”</p><p>“I understand”</p><p> </p><p>The Demon heard a moment too late</p><p>He had darted forward upon seeing the opening</p><p>And struck between the ribs</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor sank to the ground </p><p>Blood pouring out onto the green grass</p><p>Through the pain</p><p>He looked over the hill</p><p>And found the sun rising</p><p> </p><p>“I forgive you for this as well,”</p><p>He muttered</p><p> </p><p>“No!”</p><p>The Demon cried, tears in his eyes he looked around</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor’s eyes slowly drifted closed from the pain</p><p> </p><p>All was darkness</p><p> </p><p>All was deep</p><p> </p><p>All was a swirl coldness</p><p> </p><p>All was a floating space </p><p> </p><p>All was quiet</p><p> </p><p>All was a golden glow</p><p> </p><p>All was shallow </p><p> </p><p>All was a wrapping of warmth</p><p> </p><p>All was comfortable and grounded</p><p> </p><p>All was a soft humming</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor opened his eyes to find</p><p>A healer checking</p><p>His wound</p><p> </p><p>She looked at him before smiling softly</p><p>A quiet mumble of a visitor</p><p>And she swept out of the room</p><p> </p><p>The next person he was was the Demon</p><p>His eyes wide in not</p><p>Panic</p><p>Or fear</p><p>Or rage</p><p>But</p><p>But Hope</p><p> </p><p>“I apologize,”</p><p>He spoke softly, lowering his head</p><p> </p><p>The Advisor smiled</p><p>“I forgive you,”</p><p> </p><p>The Demon bit his lip</p><p>Caution still apparent in his form</p><p>The Advisor sighed and extended a hand</p><p>So like that time months ago</p><p>Ages away</p><p> </p><p>“Brothers?”</p><p>He asked quietly</p><p> </p><p>The Demon smiled at that moment</p><p>Quiet</p><p>Small</p><p>Barely a quirk of the lip</p><p> </p><p>“Brothers,”</p><p>He agreed</p><p>And accepted the hand</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much to Phi from my discord server for being my beta!</p><p>Check faer out: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m3owww/pseuds/m3owww</p></blockquote></div></div>
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